


The Road To Recovery

by KillianJones32



Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: Fluff, HIV/AIDS, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Oliver, Light Angst, M/M, Supportive Connor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-24
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-06-04 07:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6648337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillianJones32/pseuds/KillianJones32
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The week of recovery after Oliver finds out he has HIV. How Connor comforts him and how they cope with this new change in their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Road To Recovery

...

Day 1

...

Connor tries to speak, his mouth opens but no words come out.

Tears well in his own eyes as he watches his boyfriend completely break down.

Connor Walsh’s guarded heart aches for two reasons.

One: his precious, beautiful, innocent Ollie who would never harm a fly has contracted HIV.

And the second was Connor is positive he has never seen something so utterly heart-breaking as a distraught Oliver Hampton curled up in his bed, sobbing his heart out.

Even if he could speak, he wasn’t exactly sure what he would say. For once words failed the smooth-talker but he realised tonight may not be the time for words.

Without even bothering to take off his coat, Connor slips into the bed that he hasn’t been allowed into for so long and wraps his arms around his shaking boyfriend.

“You...you-” Oliver stutters through heavy breaths but Connor cuts him off with a gentle kiss on his head.  
“It’s okay Ollie. I’m here.” Connor doesn’t need to say anymore as Oliver finally gives in and lets go.

That night Connor holds Oliver in his arms and for the first time since they met Connor sees the I.T. worker be completely vulnerable which causes tears to leak out of the younger man’s eyes and drop onto Oliver’s silky hair.

From an outside perspective, people may assume Connor is the strong one, the young, confident law student who could have anyone he wanted with a click of his fingers.

They would peg Oliver as the insecure, older, dorky I.T. worker who got lucky with Connor.

But Connor knew the truth, Oliver had saved him. Connor was a mess after Ollie rightfully dumped him. But when he broke after Sam was murdered, Oliver willingly and carefully helped to put the pieces back together with him.

So that night Connor held a devastated, deteriorating Oliver Hampton in his arms, whispering words of comfort and affection into his ear, rubbing his back and threading his fingers in his hair until the sobs slowly subsided and the shaking ceased.

 

As Connor’s own tears fell from his shinning blue eyes, he swore to himself that he would help Oliver just as he had helped him because that’s what you do when you love someone.

And god did Connor love him.

...

Day 2

...

Oliver doesn't fall asleep until past three am which means Connor doesn’t sleep until well past four am.

This doesn’t stop Connor waking up first though. His mind is trained to wake at seven each morning for a gruelling day of law school and work with Annalise Keating.

Fighting the urge to drift back into a dreamless slumber, Connor forces himself to open his eyes.

It’s still dark out as the bright, spring mornings have yet to arrive, but there is just enough light peering through the apartment for Connor to see Oliver’s sleeping face pressed against his chest.

Connor aches to wipe the tear stains from the beautiful man’s face but refrains in fear of waking him.

Rationalising that he probably won’t be able to get back asleep at this stage, Connor presses a gentle kiss atop of Oliver’s head before skilfully and silently slipping out from the sleeping man’s arms and leaving the warm embrace of his would-be-lover and his soft, familiar bed.

The tan skinned man mumbles incoherently at the unwelcome movement but much to Connor’s relief, remains sound asleep.

Tiptoeing out to Oliver’s sitting room, Connor puts on a pot of coffee for himself and looks at the clock through tired, drooping eyes.

7:30 AM

Connor thinks about the mess at work, with what happened to Rebecca, trying to discover who really killed Lila and the general day to day hassle of working under Annalise Keating while attending law school.

There is no doubt in his mind that right now (and always) Oliver is more important than all of that.

Grabbing his phone, he scrolls through his contacts, searching for the one person who he knew would answer at this time of day.

“I swear to god Walsh you better have a good reason for calling me at this hour.”

Connor can’t even attempt a smile at the admittedly slightly intimidating voice of his colleague Michaela Pratt.

“Oh like you weren’t already up studying or working on how best to impress Annalise next” He taunts into the phone

“Tell me what you want before I hang up this phone Connor.” The annoyance seeps through the phone with her words

“I won’t be making it to my lectures today, or work. I’m pretty sure Annalise wouldn’t appreciate me ringing her at this hour so-“

“Connor! What do you mean you aren’t coming in? Is this about Rebecca? Do you know where she is? Or who let her go? Did you-“

“Michaela!” He hisses, turning his head to the bedroom to check that his partner hasn’t awoken by the loud, shrilling voice of the one and only Prom Queen on the other end of the phone.

“Relax! I don’t know anything about Rebecca. I’m not coming in for other reasons.”

“What-“

“Personal reasons Michaela.” Connor says through gritted teeth

“If you’re taking the day off just to fuck your boyfriend then-“

Connor groans, “Michaela please. This is serious.”

There is silence on the other end of the phone before Michaela finally whispers, 

“I’ll let the others know.”

“Thank you.”

More silence follows and Connor contemplates hanging up the phone just when Michaela’s voice says

“I hope you’re okay. Don’t do anything stupid. I can’t take this place without you for too long.”

Before he can say anything the line goes dead and Connor smiles softly to himself.

Maybe Prom Queen isn’t so bad after all.

...

When Oliver Hampton wakes up, his throat is sore and his body aches with fatigue.

Memories of yesterday flood his brain in tsunami waves and Oliver whimpers, attempting to bury himself in his wet pillow; unwilling to face the cruel realities of this world just yet.

His heart beats with pain, remorse and regret and all he wants is just to evaporate into thin air.

That was before the thick smell of sausages and eggs flutter into his nose.

Oliver sits up slowly, ignoring his throbbing muscles and looks around the room.

Oliver’s suit had been carelessly tossed on the ground, which on a regular day would never have happened but yesterday he hadn’t cared one bit.

On the other side of the bed, Connor’s black coat and button up shirt lay neatly on a chair.

Connor.

The name and the smell of food cause him to leave his beloved bed, throw on an over-sized, warm and cosy college jumper and slowly walk to his kitchen.

Connor stands at the cooker, two plates on the counter-top, with two delicious looking fried eggs on each plate while Connor quickly places multiple sausages along with them.

Oliver watches in silence as his shirtless ‘boyfriend’ works away on arranging the cooked breakfast onto plates and tries to quell the love and guilt pooling inside his stomach.

Connor turns and his face breaks into a genuine, loving smile when he sees Oliver.

He walks over to the older man and wraps his arms around his waist, kissing his forehead gently.

“Connor-“ Oliver attempts but Connor kisses his nose quickly shushing him.

“Later, we can talk later. But right now you need to eat. Please Ollie.”

Oliver remembers the countless nights when Connor was working on a case or mindlessly studying for an exam and he had taken the books away from him or turned off the lamp or threatened not to touch him for a week until he had eaten something.

Each time Connor gave up without a fight and Oliver feels it was only right that he does the same.

They sit on the stools at the counter and eat their fry in silence.

If Oliver had ever imagined Connor cooking breakfast for him, it certainly wasn’t in this scenario.

He ignores the pain twisting in his stomach as he forces himself to eat another piece.

Oliver pretends not to notice the concerned looks Connor sends him every few minutes.

After they are finished Oliver attempts to wash up but Connor stops him and shoos him onto the couch.

Oliver swallows his guilt and instead heads back into his room.

Connor’s eyes fill with worry, assuming Oliver is heading back to bed, to most likely cry.

Moments later however, Oliver returns and silently hands Connor a maroon jumper to which Connor accepts with a smile.

...

Day 3

...

“You should be at work.”

Oliver’s voice is hoarse. The past two days were mostly spent in silence on Oliver's part with one of two crying moments here and there.

Connor’s fingers never cease their threading gently through his boyfriend’s hair. His boyfriend is lying under him on the couch, his head in his lap as he faces the T.V. screen. Even though it's rather obvious that neither of them are watching the usually addicting Netflix show.

“No, I should be right where I am, here, with you.” Connor replies simply

“Annalise-“

“I don’t care”

“But-“

“Ollie…” Oliver turns his head to meet Connor’s glistening, piercing brown eyes

“You don’t have to stay out of guilt.”

Connor took their intertwined hands and pressed his lips to kiss Oliver’s hand,

“I’m not. I promise that’s not why I’m here.”

Oliver stares into the other’s eyes for several minutes, calculating whether or not Connor is telling the truth. Then he turns back to face the screen and fruitlessly tries to focus on the plot.

Connor however, keeps his eyes focused on his boyfriend the entire time.

...

Day 4

...

When Oliver wakes up that morning he was surprised to find that he was on the couch.

He was never the type to fall asleep on the couch, Connor most certainly was but not Oliver, it was too uncomfortable and he always knew he would regret it the next morning no matter how tired or lazy he was.

He hadn’t cared the night before it seems and Oliver vaguely remembers Connor attempting to move him to bed but he had stubbornly refused.

Connor who Oliver assumes was the one who draped the warm blanket over him some time during the night.

The blanket is comfy, knitted and a dark navy colour, his mother had given it to Oliver when he left home.

The memory causes his heart to clench. His parents, he would have to tell his responsible, strict, loving parents that he was HIV positive

 

Oliver groans and sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Only then does he realise how silent his apartment is.

Connor wasn’t here.

Oliver swallows; he doesn’t know why that hurts him just a little bit.

He was pretty sure today was still a school day and Connor's tyrant of a boss would no doubt be missing him. Despite what Oliver had said the day before, he hoped against all hope that Connor hadn’t left him for good.

Standing, Oliver walked to the bathroom, stopping when he caught sight of a piece of paper on the counter-top.

“Ollie,

Gone to grocery store to get food. You may be happy to live off of take-out for the rest of your days but I’m not ;)

You better be awake by the time I come home Sleepy Head or else I’ll accidentally blare music to wake you up. You’re too cute when you’re asleep anyway, you know I’m never able to resist you.  
See you soon

Oh and with all the love and affection in the world, please get a shower

-Connor’

Oliver rolls his eyes but grabs a towel on the way to the bathroom nevertheless.

…

“Well look! My boyfriend is back to his beautiful, clean, presentable self!” Connor beams from the front door.

Oliver huffs and takes the bags off of him, “Morning to you too.”

Connor sits up on the counter top table and begins retelling the tale of two guys at the store who he believed were totally into each other while Oliver put the groceries away.

“They kept eye-fucking each other Ollie! These two fifteen year old guys and yet they kept going on about how many girls they were gonna bang that weekend it was ridiculous! They were totally crazy for each other Oliver! I wanted to go up to them and bang their heads together”

Oliver smiles a little and due to how hot Connor looks right now, decides not to lecture him for sitting on his counter-top.

Plus there was the added bonus of listening to Connor ramble as he was clearly trying to make him feel better.

It was of course working,

“They reminded me so much of us you know? Well more so of me being so arrogant and stupid but they clearly really lo-liked each other and that’s definitely us.”

Oliver ignores Connor’s bashful slip up and nods, “Definitely.”

Connor frowns and hops down from the table.

Wrapping his arms around the other man’s stomach, Connor kisses the back of his neck gently.

Oliver shivers and moves to pull away but Connor already seemed to know what he planned to do as he moved back before Oliver could say anything.

“Anyway” Connor continues “Have you eaten?”

“Yes.”

“Today?”

“Yes.” Oliver repeats tiredly

“What did you eat?”

“What…what I don’t need to-“

Connor grins, “Well I’m hungry so if you have already eaten, which we both know you haven’t you can just eat again!”

Oliver sighs, “Connor…”

The other man ignores him and instead retrieves the box of cereal he had just stored away and began to talk once more.

“You like cornflakes right? I got cornflakes anyway. I’m pretty sure I saw you eating them before. You seemed to like them so I got them. I always thought of you as more of a porridge guy but I didn’t want to presume so I stuck with cornflakes.”

Oliver laughs softly, “Cornflakes is fine.”

Connor doesn’t let Oliver see the sigh of relief he lets out at the sound of Oliver’s gentle laugh because he hasn’t heard that magical sound in what seems like forever.

While they eat, Connor speaks up again,

“I rang your boss”

Oliver looks up at Connor was is carefully avoiding his gaze

“You what?”

“Please don’t be mad” Connor begs softly “I just…I knew you never rang him about your absence and I didn’t want you to worry about it so I rang him while you were asleep. I told him you had a really bad bug and wouldn’t be in for the next few days.”

Oliver sits in silence for a moment while Connor’s eyes search his expressionless face, hoping to find some form of reply or reaction there.

“Thank you.” Oliver whispers before returning to picking at his cereal.

Connor smiles and wolfs down the rest of his breakfast.

...

Day 5

...

“You want to go for a walk?”

Oliver frowns and turns to Connor who is sitting on the couch, reading over some papers for work.

“A walk?” Oliver questions

“Yeah!” Connor smiles brightly “A walk! Why not? It’ll clear our heads a bit, I need a break from all this law stuff and you’ve been staring at that screen all morning-“

“I need to catch up on work Connor and so do you…”

Oliver wasn’t ready to go back to work yet.

He wasn’t prepared to deal with everyone acting like everything was fine because according to them everything was just as it was before. Their worlds hadn’t been turned upside down.

Oliver hated himself for not being strong enough but Connor was always there to reassure him that it was perfectly normal to need this time off, this time to think and breathe.

He was still surprised that Connor had stuck with him. That when he had revealed the truth to the gorgeous, young, law student, he hadn’t laughed awkwardly, made a pathetic excuse and ran out the door, never to be seen again.

It was what he feared would occur but instead Connor stayed. This only made Oliver love Connor more and he knew loving someone as perfect and scarred as Connor Walsh was a very dangerous thing.

Connor stands and grabs their coats from where they hang over the back of the couch.

Handing Oliver his with a gentle, supportive smile, Connor asks,

“Just around the block? For me?”

Oliver tried to resist those puppy eyes.

He truly did.

However they were too strong for him and Oliver soon found himself pulling on his runners and coat.

The weather is nice out, there is a slight breeze in the air but the couple hardly feel it as they walk hand in hand together down the street.

Connor never thought he would have this, at least he never thought he would be in a relationship like this so young.

If you had told Connor Walsh last year that the following year he would walk down the street holding hands with a bespectacled, adorable, I.T. worker who he was pretty sure he was in love with, past Connor would have laughed in your face and then proceeded to try and seduce you.

But on the bright side Connor can see Oliver slowly getting better or at least slowly getting more accustomed to the life-changing news he received almost a week ago.

He’s eating small bits more gradually and managed to get out of his comfy pyjamas today.

That has to be a good sign, even if Connor doesn’t think so because the old, fluffy, pyjamas look positively adorable on his nerdy boyfriend.

“I still have to tell my parents.”

They both unconsciously slow down their pace at Oliver’s words.

Neither of them has discussed their families that much. But from the little pieces of information Oliver let slip, Connor gathered that they were a bit more conservative and reserved than his own family.

Connor squeezes his hand gently,

“It’ll be fine.”

“They’re going to be so disappointed” Oliver sighs

Connor shakes his head and watches Oliver from the corner of his eye worriedly,

“No, Ollie, I’m sure they could never be disappointed in you.”

Oliver snorts, “You’d be surprised.”

Connor cringes. He knew he took his family for granted. Their family was wealthy, his mother accepted him being gay as it was always rather obvious, his sister was always there to support him and when Gemma had married young all the family supported her and nobody judged.  
Something told him, Oliver hadn’t been so lucky.

“They accepted you being gay right?”

“Eventually…”

Connor sighed and once again despised how cruel and ridiculous the irony of this all was.

Connor was the reason they got tested in the first place. Connor was the slut who slept around with so many guys he couldn’t even remember the number when the doctor had asked him.

Oliver was the beautiful man who didn’t care about Connor’s past, who was committed to whomever he dated and slept with even if they were originally only after some stupid emails for a court case.

Yet somehow in some twisted form of fate, Oliver was the one who ended up contracting HIV while Connor tested negative.

“I’ll help you” Connor promises “We’ll get through this, together. It’s all going to be fine.”

“No it won’t”

“Yes it will!” Connor stops and turns Oliver to face him, “Everything is going to be okay because it god damn has to. I know this sucks for you, I know how bad you are feeling because of it but I don’t care! I don’t care whether you have it or not, your friends won’t care, your family won’t care. We are all so sorry you’ve to go through this and we will support you no matter what but…Ollie we’re still gonna care for you just as much as we did beforehand.”

“But-“

Connor shakes his head and moves his hand up Oliver’s arm and squeezes gently,

“No buts. You’ll tell your parents when you’re ready and I’ll be there to support you through it. I’ll be there for everything. The doctor’s visits, the waiting rooms, every test result and prescription. I’m going to be there Ollie.”

Connor tries not to focus on the way Oliver’s eyes were welling with tears because if he does, he knows that he would start crying too.

“You’re important to me Ollie and whether you have it or not doesn’t matter. I don’t care. I’ll get medication too. I’ll start taking PrEP.”

“What, why?” Oliver chokes out and Connor has to choke back a laugh

“Why? Because I want to be with you and kiss you and touch you and have lots of sex with you.”

“Connor!” Oliver says sternly but there is an amused glint in his eyes “Keep your voice down, people are staring.”

Connor smiles, “Well you asked.”

“You shouldn’t have to-“

“Oliver.” Connor states firmly “I’m not leaving you.”

“But-“

Connor starts walking again and drags Oliver along behind him,

“But nothing Oliver. But absolutely nothing now where was that great pizza place you brought me to one time that was around here somewhere? Because I’m really craving pizza right now.”

As he looks back at the stumbling man, Connor feels his heart jump into his throat with joy when he spots the wide, amused grin spread across Oliver’s face.

....

Day 6

...

“So I can collect them on Monday then? Okay great. Thanks. See you then.”

Oliver turns away from watching the Saturday reruns to look at the smiling, pacing man hanging up his phone.

“Everything okay?” he asks curiously when the grinning man plonks himself onto the couch beside him.

“Everything’s okay” Connor reassures him by kissing Oliver on the cheek, “That was my doctor, friend of the family; she ordered a prescription of PrEP for me and sent them to my local chemist. She said I can collect them on Monday.”

Oliver stares at him in shock, “Connor you really don’t have to do that for me.”

“Oh I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for me. I want us to start having sex again as soon as possible. Do you know you’ve to wait a month after taking PrEP before we can start having sex again? One whole month! It’s ridiculous-”

“Exactly! Olive exclaims exasperatedly “So why are you doing all of this when you can just…go out and have sex with someone else who doesn’t have HIV.”

Connor shrugs simply as though the answer were obvious, “Because they wouldn’t be you…and you’re the only person I want to be with.”

Before Oliver can come up with another ridiculous excuse as to why Connor should leave him, the latter grabs the remote and switches channels.

“Oi! I was watching that!” Oliver protests weakly despite not knowing what he had in fact been watching at all.

“There’s a Friends marathon on this channel” Connor points out and he smirks at Oliver wide, enthusiastic eyes “See! I thought that would interest you. You can fanboy over Chandler and Monica while I make us some coffee.”

Oliver snuggles further into the couch and smiles at the screen.

Maybe his boyfriend really is the best.

...

Day 7

...

Connor watches from Oliver’s bed as the latter busies himself around the room. 

It’s late; the sun has long since set and the two men have just finished getting ready for bed.

They haven’t discussed it but ever since a week ago, Connor has been staying at Oliver’s apartment and seeing as Oliver hasn’t complained Connor hasn’t been keen to leave.

He and Oliver are roughly the same size anyway and this gives him an excuse to wear Oliver’s clothes.

Connor lies against Oliver’s ridiculously cute throw pillows as Oliver takes his grey suit from the closet and hangs it on the handle.

Connor doesn’t say anything, only raises an eyebrow when Oliver bashfully turns to look at him.

“I…I think I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?” Connor checks and Oliver nods

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Oliver smiles weakly “It’s only my boring, old I.T. job anyway.”

Connor stands, wraps his arms around his boyfriend and leans his forehead against his.

“I happen to think I.T. is very cool” Connor murmurs in his low seductive voice in perfect imitation of the words he had said to Oliver on the night they first met.

Oliver laughs a proper, full, loud, joyous laugh that causes Connor to grin from ear to ear.

Connor opens his mouth to say more but before he can, Oliver dives in and collides his mouth with Connor’s.

The kiss starts rough and bruising but as fingers thread into Connor’s hair and hands stroke Oliver’s back gently, the kiss soon turns gentle and loving.

They press their bodies together and kiss each other with all the words, thoughts and feelings they can’t say out loud.

‘Thank you for staying’  
‘I’ll never leave you’  
‘I’m so sorry you have to deal with this’  
‘I’m so sorry you are going through this’  
‘You should have left, why haven’t you left?’  
‘You deserve so much better than me, Ollie.’  
‘Please stay’  
‘You’re everything to me’  
‘I love you’  
‘I love you’

Eventually they are forced to separate when the need for oxygen becomes too strong.

They stand, clinging to each other for several moments, both struggling to catch their breaths as their minds race with unsaid words of devotion.

“We should eh…” Connor hesitate “We should get to bed if you’re going to work tomorrow.”

Oliver silently nods and together they get into his bed and snuggle up close to one another.

The last thing that was whispered before they fell into a peaceful sleep was,

“Connor?”

“Yes Ollie?”

“You do know that now I’m going back to work you should probably go back to college too?”

Connor groans and Oliver giggles and together they drift into a deep sleep.

Both of them taking comfort in knowing that whatever happened, they would get through it, together.

...

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this one-shot. Please let me know what you think and if you think I should write more coliver or not.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
